Boys Will Be Boys
by Abigail Rose V
Summary: A fictional account of life in the One Direction band, some spanking included but not in every chapter.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

" Gotcha!" 19 year old Niall slammed a pillow into his best friend's, 18 year old Harry, face.

" 51 for Niall and 78 for Hazza." 21 year old Louis, who was perched on the back of the couch keeping score of the friendly pillow fight, reported.

" Got a long way to go before you beat me, brother." Harry panted, repeatedly scoring hits on his older buddy's body with the pillow.

The three band mates were clowning around in their living room one Saturday afternoon after a morning of housework.

It had started with Harry and Niall chatting next to each other on the couch, when Harry had without warning grabbed a pillow and smacked Niall over the head with it.

Niall hollered for Louis, who was in the kitchen putting the last of the dishes away, to get in here and help him as he struggled to defend himself form his best friend's onslaught.

Louis came all right, but not to help, to keep score.

Niall was forced to wrench a pillow out from under Harry while the curly-haired boy beat him with the pillow and return the attack, under immense teasing from Louis for calling for help.

Laughing, the two best friends had commenced a full scale pillow fight on the couch, while Louis tallied up the score.

A door slammed as just-turned-20 Zayn entered the house.

Louis glanced into the kitchen as the tired singer emptied the last of the lemonade into a tall glass, then walked into the living room.

He sat down and wiped his forehead, then grinned at the fight on the couch across the room.

Setting his lemonade on the side table after a long drink, he called across to them, " So, who's winning?"

" Harry." Louis answered, his pencil flying as he made mark after mark.

" Mmm." Zayn said, leaning back into the other couch. " Seems like no one but me is working. Where's Liam?"

" Liam? He's at the store replacing all the food piggy here ate while the rest of us were hard at work." Harry said, scoring more hits on a protesting Niall.

Liam was 19 also, though he seemed far older then the rest of them and was often called daddy directioner.

" I did my chores too!" Niall put in, giving Harry a few smacks with the pillow while shielding his own face.

" Yeah, sure." Zayn said, leaning back and closing his eyes.

He had been mowing the lawn, and it was not exactly cool out.

Suddenly, the phone rang, and Zayn got up to get it with a groan.

" No one knock over my lemonade; it's the last we have, and I hope Liam thinks of picking up some more." He said as he walked out.

He sticks his head back in. " And if it is dumped when I come back, the guilty one pays with his bottom." Then he answered the phone.

The pillow fight continued for a while and Zayn was stuck on the phone.

Finally, Harry lost a grip on his pillow and it flew across the room, knocking over the glass of lemonade.

All three boys froze, remembering Zayn's words.

Harry gulped, and looked at the floor.

He got spanked the most, with Niall coming in second on that, and all of them knew that Zayn was not the one you wanted to be spanked by.

He spanked hard, and if you cried, he spanked harder.

Louis would sometimes dish out spankings, but not nearly as bad as Zayn.

Often, Niall only got it because Harry coaxed him to join in on a new plot of his, and then they got caught.

Liam almost never got in enough trouble to get spanked for it, and he never fell for Harry's schemes as much as Niall did.

Harry had just been spanked that morning, when he flat out told Niall that the breakfast he cooked was disgusting.

Normally that was okay, but the catch was, Harry refused to apologize or laugh it off as the normal banter.

Louis had spanked him for this one, which Harry hated, as Louis was his best friend along with Niall, and it hurt him to see Louis was upset enough to deem it necessary to punish him.

Poor Harry was still sore, and he dreaded another punishment, this time from Zayn.

Niall felt bad for his friend too, and made a sudden decision.

He would take the blame and save Harry a spanking.

He was Zayn's favorite anyways, and probably would not be spanked as hard as Harry would have been.

He turned urgently to Harry, having made his mind up.

" Go upstairs with Louis, Harry, I'll take this one." He said, stroking the side of Harry's face and ruffling his friend's curly hair in an effort to hide his own nervousness.

Harry looked appalled.

" No Nialler! I can't let you do that! It was my pillow that knocked it down; I accept my own punishment for it."

Niall shook his head and stroked Harry's face a moment longer, then nodded to Louis, who grabbed Harry's wrists and pinned them behind his back as Niall stuffed a kerchief into the English boy's mouth.

He helped Louis to haul the struggling Harry upstairs to the bedroom Harry and Zayn shared, which was across from the one Louis and Niall shared, as Liam preferred sleeping on the couch, and then turned to go back down to the scene of the crime.

As he did so, they all heard Zayn explode below.

" Who did it?!" they heard him bellow, and Niall ran down the stairs as Louis wished him luck and Harry silently cried and fought to be free.

Niall burst into the living room to face a livid Zayn.

The dark-haired boy spun around to face him, the look on his face frightening Niall.

Then Zayn's look of anger turned to a look of surprise and hurt.

" You?" he croaked, and Niall nodded and looked at his feet, kicking the floor.

Zayn rubbed the back of his head. " I honestly never thought you'd be the one to do that, I expected Harry to knock it over just to be funny."

Niall didn't say anything; he just shuffled his feet and peeked up at Zayn through his eyelashes.

Zayn gave a heavy sigh. " May as well get this over with. Come, Niall."

Niall slowly stepped to Zayn, and allowed himself to be bent over the arm of the couch and his pants pulled down to his ankles, leaving just his boxer shorts on.

He gritted his teeth as he heard Zayn unbuckling his belt, and reminded himself he was doing this for Harry.

He tensed as he waited for the expected blow, but before it landed, Zayn spoke in a voice full of remorse.

" I hate having to do this to you Niall, and I am sorely disappointed in you."

Niall felt hot tears coursing down his cheeks as Zayn continued, wanting so desperately to cry out and say, ' Zayn, I didn't do it!' but he could not; no, he had to do this for Harry.

Zayn's next words about broke his tender heart: "You are my best friend, and I love you. I love cuddling with you and all the other fun stuff we do, and I thought you felt the same for me. I never expected my best friend to deny me a drink after I worked so hard out in the blazing sun and found that the water was out."

As he finished, he swung the doubled belt against Niall's backside with a loud _smack!_

Niall let out an agonized gasp in spite of himself.

He knew Zayn spanked hard, but he was never prepared for it.

 _Smack!_

Niall bit his lip and tried not to cry out.

 _Smack! Smack!_

" I wish I could ask if it was an accident, but from the angle you were on the couch, I know you had to really try for it." Zayn said sadly.

 _Smack! Smack! Smack!_

Niall whimpered.

" I might have let you off lighter if it was just a slip up, but there is no way that was not done on purpose." Zayn continued, raining spanks down as Niall tried not to make a sound.

He gasped as quietly as he could, fighting back more tears, as Zayn kept on.

" Why Niall?" Zayn asked in a choked voice. " Why did you do it? You knew I would have to spank you. Why?"

Niall had no answer, as he really did not do it, and he could not just tell on Harry now.

Not like he would anyway, but still.

Suddenly, there was a crash upstairs, and the sound of pounding feet coming down the stairs, as though the runner was taking the steps eight at a time.

Turns out that was the case, as Harry ran down the stairs and flew towards them, hollering at Zayn to stop.

Zayn did so just as Harry reached them and grabbed Zayn's wrist to prevent him form laying another spank on the defenseless Niall's bottom.

Harry was in tears, and laid his head on Zayn's shoulder, sobbing out, " D-don't p-punish him a-anymore, I d-did it, n-not Niall!"

Zayn was speechless for a moment, then he scooped Niall off the couch and cradled his head to his chest, stroking the blond boy' soft hair.

Harry moved around and wrapped his arms around Niall, leaning his curly topped head on Niall's shoulder this time.

They remained there until Louis, who had slowly followed after Harry, cleared his throat.

Zayn then lifted Niall's chin, and looked into the hurt blue eyes of his friend.

" Why did you take Harry's punishment for him and not tell me?" he asked, half scolding.

" Because you would not spank me but Harry, if I told you." Niall replied.

" You're right, and it was stupid of me to get so upset over a glass of lemonade anyway. I'm sorry." Zayn closed his eyes and this time, it was Niall who did the comforting.

" Niall?" Harry sniffed.

" Yeah?" Niall replied, snuggling Zayn.

" Don't ever do that again, Nialler. I love you and all, but if you do that again, I'll smack you silly." Harry said, stroking the side of Niall's face softly.

" Okay. And same goes to you Curly Locks." Nail said, earning himself a light punch in the back from his curly-haired friend.

Louis breathed a sigh of relief. " I'm telling you, Harry is stronger then he looks." he said, rubbing his shoulders.

Everyone laughed at that.

Just then, Liam walked in, his arms full of groceries.

" What? I missed a family hug? No fair!" so saying, he dropped the bags, and he and Louis joined the other three in a great bear hug, in which they were careful not to crowd claustrophobic Niall too much.

" Why is Niall in his boxer shorts?" Liam wanted to know when they parted.

" Long story." Zayn replied. " Any chance you brought home some more lemonade?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Niall flipped through the tv channels without much enthusiasm.

He was left alone at home, for the first time in a long time while his four friends were out with their girlfriends.

Normally, this would not have bothered him like it was, but tonight was different.

His girlfriend had broken up with him a few weeks ago, saying that she had no time for a fat, ugly boy who loved his food and his band mates more then her.

Of course, he had tried to explain to her how that wasn't the case, but she refused to listen and left him in a huff, slamming the door in his face.

If that wasn't enough, he had been largely ignored the past few concerts and interviews.

All the other boys had girls all over them, but they pretty much ignored Niall.

The other boys got the interviews, and if he did get in one, he never got asked many questions.

He was getting so desperate for attention, that when he told Harry about how he felt, Harry promptly made him walk in on an interview that Zayn and Liam were in.

Niall felt awful, especially when Zayn had to coax him like a puppy to come sit down.

He only stayed for a second, as the other interviewer promptly left, and the other girl commented that she was going to get security.

That scared him, and after stroking Liam's face as an apology, he left.

He refused to speak to Harry for a bit after that, and Zayn scolded him for it, making him cry.

And there was the time that he was mobbed by fans, and knocked to the ground, and Zayn had cussed the fans out for it.

Niall heard a lady snap at him that being an adult, he should be able to protect himself, not need another boy to do it for him like a little kid.

Then, during the last concert, a fan had yelled at him he was ugly, and he started to cry on stage, and had to be hugged to be able to pull himself together.

He felt like everybody thought he was a big baby after that, and it did not help that Zayn had declared that they needed to protect Niall.

He knew Zayn meant well, and that the older boy viewed him as his younger brother, but right now he just wanted… what? What did he want?

He wanted to be appreciated as one of the band by everybody, not just his own band mates and a handful of fans.

He was getting braces for his crooked teeth soon, and he both dreaded and looked forward to it.

Louis had assured him that they could get invisible ones, so no one would laugh at him, but he still felt awful about it, as he figured someone would find out.

It also did not help he was the most fearful out of the band.

He was claustrophobic, scared of clowns, pigeons, and a few other things.

He had panicked before thanks to his claustrophobia, and it was embarrassing to be filmed crying or tensing up when he was too crowded or something.

He felt like he did not really deserve his place in the band, and felt lonely at times.

He was a cuddler, and he loved it when he was hugged and snuggled by his 4 friends most of the time, but lately it embarrassed him when fans would coo over him about it, even though he liked being called cute most of the time.

He never had felt so depressed in his life, and he wished he could go back to being his happy-go-lucky self again, and enjoy life like he used too.

Ding!

A text from Zayn.

' Hey Nil! My gf's lil sis thinks ur cute w/a baby bottle. ur crazy bro!'

Under it was the photo of Niall with a bottle in his mouth.

' Thnks Z.' he texted back

'welcome' was the response.

Niall groaned.

Now he really would look like a baby thanks to this.

Why did Zayn have to show everyone that picture, anyway?

A second later his phone beeped again.

This time it was Louis.

' Hope ur having fun and not eating all the food up.'

Niall gritted his teeth.

He did more then just eat, they knew that.

' Just watching tv' he texted back.

' hope ur enjoing urself.' Louis texted back.

' im not' he replied.

'y?' Louis sent

'none ur business' Niall responded.

' ttyl' Louis sent.

Niall shook his head as another text came in, this one from Harry.

' Got Nanados. save some for u?'

'No' Niall responded.

' Why?" was his friends response.

Then a second later, ' i know u love it'

' No' Niall texted, growling softly.

' doing it anway dork' Harry texted

' idiot' Niall texted back.

Then, as an after thought, ' I hate u'

' I no' Harry responded.

Niall was not surprised when Liam texted him next.

' Glad u scared of pigeons, gf laughing at u stead of me. thnks.'

Niall screamed, then texted back, ' shut the hell up, I hate u!'

' what's worng?' Liam texted back

'noting' Niall texted back, then threw his phone.

Turning off the tv, he dropped his head in his hands and just started bawling.

He had never felt so alone and unloved in his life.

He had no idea how long he wept, but after a while he had calmed down, and fell asleep sitting on the couch.

When he awoke, it was to Zayn's frantic voice, repeating, " Ni! Ni Ni! Nialler! NIALL! Can you hear me? Please say something lil'buddy, don't be dying on us, please!"

Groaning, he felt himself being lifted onto the couch and sat don next to who he supposed was Zayn, and another someone, presumably Harry, plopped down next to him.

He felt himself being cradled against Zayn's chest as Harry wiped a cool cloth across his face.

Something hard was washed off his eyes, and he opened them feeling slightly groggy.

Louis and Liam were looking over the back of the couch, concern in their eyes.

Harry pulled back the cloth, and Niall saw blood on it.

" Let me go." he mumbled, weakly pulling away from Zayn and taking the cloth from Harry.

His four friends watch him in worry, as he rubbed the cloth across his forehead.

It really hurt there, so he asked what happened.

They told him that he was laying face down on the floor when they came in, looking as if he had fallen off the couch and smacked his head into the coffee table, hard enough to break it and gash his head.

Then Liam stroked Niall's hair, and Niall lashed out at him, growling at him to keep off.

The four boys looked at each other, then Zayn tried to pull Niall into another hug.

Niall pushed him away.

" What's wrong Niall?" Louis asked, folding his arms across his chest.

" Nothing." Niall muttered, looking at the floor, which was blood stained.

Louis came and knelt in front of him, taking Niall's chin in his fingers and making him look up.

" We all know something's wrong; you have been acting off all day. You can tell us; we're your best friends."

" Even if you do hate us." Harry chimed in, making Niall break down crying again.

This time, he did not resist when Louis pulled him into a hug, then laid him on Zayn's chest.

Niall sobbed out the whole story, of how he was feeling, while all the boys quietly coddled him.

All of them had tears in their eyes when he finished, and they all sat quietly together for a while.

Then, one after the other, they apologized to Niall for being part of the problem, and pointed out good things that he, in his depressed state of mind, forgot.

Then Harry tickled him till he was howling with laughter, and tickling his friend back.

" That's better." Louis said, grinning. " We needed out happy Nialler back."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Louis yawned as he stirred scrambled eggs in the skillet in the kitchen.

They had a music video to shoot that morning, so they had all gotten up early.

Well, at least some of them.

Liam was robotically pulling on his socks in the living room, and Niall was conked out next to him on the couch.

Louis shook his head as he realized that neither Zayn nor Harry was out there yet.

He turned the eggs off and covered the pan, then walked over to Liam.

"Morning!" Louis said cheerfully, then yawned.

" Morning." Liam mumbled.

Louis gave him a curious look.

Usually Liam was the most awake in the mornings.

" What's up?" he asked, sitting down on the opposite side of Liam from the snoozing Niall.

" Harry had a nightmare last night and Zayn needed some help to calm him down." Liam said drowsily.

" Oh joy." Louis said. " Zayn is going to fun to wake up."

Liam nodded, then slapped Niall on the shoulder, then shook him. " Wake up, bud! We gotta go!" he said urgently, but got a mumbled, " In a sec." from the sleepy blond beside him.

Chuckling, Liam tickled him, making Niall moan at him to get off, then whispered, " Breakfast is almost done."

That did it.

Niall forced open his eyes and sat up, yawning. " Alright, I'm up." he grumbled, then smiled.

" Good morning you guys!" he said more cheerfully. " Where's Harry and Zayn? Still sleeping?"

" Yeah." Louis said. " Wanna help us wake them up?"

" Sure!" Niall agreed, and scrambled to his feet, helping Liam up as well.

" Thanks, Ni." Liam said, patting his back and rubbing his hair.

" Anytime!" Niall responded, throwing an arm around Liam's neck, and then following Louis up the stairs to the bedroom Zayn and Harry shared.

Louis eased open the door, and they crept in, Niall had grabbed his guitar on his way up so he could play them music to wake then up.

However, it was not relaxing music he had in mind, and he startled even Louis and Liam when he played hard and fast upon his beloved instrument, and shouted " WAKE UP! GET UP! WE'RE RUNNING LATE!"

Harry became suddenly still, pretending to be sleeping through the racket while Zayn lashed out at anyone within arm and foot range, nearly hitting Liam, who was jumping on the bed.

Niall kept yelling and Liam kept jumping, until Louis grabbed Harry and half dragged him stiffly out of bed.

Harry was grinning while still trying to keep up the ruse of being asleep, but gave it up when Louis dropped him onto the floor.

Then he opened his eyes and chirped merrily, " Good morning!" while rubbing the back of his head ruefully and sticking his tongue out at a laughing Louis.

Then everyone but the grumpy Zayn laughed.

Zayn just pulled the covers up over his head and grumbled.

Niall tripped lightly over to his side of the bed, leaned down, wrestled the covers from Zayn, and kissed his forehead.

" Aw." Harry giggled, covering his mouth and looking at Niall with laughing eyes.

Niall charged Harry as Zayn swung his legs over the side of the bed, yawning.

Harry let out a yell and flew downstairs, Niall hot on his heels.

The older boys followed more slowly, chuckling as the swifter Niall caught up with the fleeing Harry, which resulted in a high, " You kissed me on my LIPS!" scream from Harry a second later, and a " Got you back good, didn't I?" laugh from Niall.

Zayn showered as the others ate, and ate his breakfast in the car as they drove off to film Little Things, Niall, Liam, and Louis falling asleep in the car on the way.

Harry was still sleepy, but since he was driving, he had to stay awake, and Zayn made sure of it by poking him repeatedly and tugging at his hair, which Harry actually enjoyed, so long as it was tugged a certain way, and not pulled hard.

It also helped if the one doing the tugging was Louis.

Once they arrived, Zayn woke the others up while Harry put his now messy hair back in order and they hurried inside to the set.

Once they arrived, Harry suddenly said, " I won't sing my part; I want Niall's."

Everyone looked at Harry in shock, who had a defiant look on his face.

" Okay." Niall said, not wanting to cause a fight.

" Why?" Liam asked, confused.

" I don't like my lines, and you can; make me sing them." Harry smirked at them.

" You will sing your lines Harold." Zayn said firmly.

Louis nodded, giving Harry a stern look.

The camera guys looked uneasily at each other.

" Nope." Harry said, tossing his head and looking stubborn. " I am singing Niall's lines, and that's final."

" Look, I don't care if-" Niall began, but Liam put an arm around his shoulders and squeezed gently, cutting him off as he reached his other hand around to brush the Irish boy's blond hair off his forehead and kept his hand there, which caused Niall to lay his head on Liam's shoulder as Liam's fingers gently stroked his forehead.

" I have the most stupid lines in the whole stupid song. I don't care what you say; I won't sing till you give me Niall's lines." Harry looked defiantly from one to another, then saw the hurt looks on Liam and Louis's faces.

His smirk faded to a look of regret, but he did not change what he said.

" If you don't, I'll sing them anyways and Niall will _have_ to take my lines." He said, a little less arrogantly this time.

Zayn sighed, then looked at the camera crew. " Can you give us twenty minutes?" he asked pleasantly.

Niall was suddenly glad that Liam had him, as what Zayn just said made his knees nearly give out.

 _Twenty minutes?!_

Was Zayn going to kill Harry?!

Harry's eyes widened in horror as the crew agreed, and Zayn took his arm in a vice-like grip and dragged him away.

Louis made as if to follow them, but Liam clucked his tongue and shook his head at Louis.

" You know Zayn won't listen if you try to help Harry." Liam said softly. " He has to learn sometime."

Louis looked crestfallen, but walked quietly back to Liam and Niall, who was worried about his green-eyed friend.

" Is Zayn really going to be that hard on him?" he asked, a quaver in his voice.

" Shh, Ni, I don't think so." Liam soothed him, guiding him and Louis to a group of chairs nearby.

They all sat down to wait for Zayn to deal with Harry.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

As Zayn dragged a sniffling Harry off to a back room, he was furious with the curly-haired boy.

 _How could he say that?_ Zayn thought to himself.

He was so worked up that when they reached one of the small back rooms he had been looking for, he stopped before entering.

" Harold." He said sternly to the trembling lad. " I want you in the corner, bare, before I get in there. Now go!" and he shoved a now-blubbering Harry through the door and shut it firmly behind him.

Zayn paced outside the small room until he had calmed himself down.

He just could not understand Harry's sudden attitude about the whole thing, nor why he had called the song that Liam and Louis had worked so hard on, stupid.

And the reason he had done it now?

Zayn was sure it was to try to avoid a spanking for his behavior.

Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and walked in.

Harry had taken off his jeans and boxers as Zayn had asked, and had his forehead leaned against the wall in the corner, eyes closed, small whimpers and whines escaping from his mouth.

Zayn walked over and sat down on a chair.

" Come here, Harry." He said sternly.

Harry slowly turned from the wall and trudged over, whimpering and wiping his tears from his eyes as he did so.

" Over my lap Harry." Zayn told him, and helped position him on his lap.

Harry gripped Zayn's leg and whimpered as Zayn rested his hand on his bare bottom, then raised it high and smacked it down hard.

" O-ow!" Harry whimpered, as Zayn kept spanking him.

It worried Harry that Zayn was not spanking him as quickly as he usually did; that could only mean he was in for a long, hard spanking.

And hard and long it was going to be, as Zayn had planned on a ten minute spanking for his naughty friend.

Zayn scolded Harry as he spanked him.

 _ **Smack!**_ " How could you" _**Smack!**_ " Say something like that" _**Smack!**_ " In front of Louis" _**Smack!**_ " And Liam?" _**Smack!**_

Harry was silent, biting his lip, trying not to cry anymore.

Zayn kept up.

 _ **Smack!**_ " I want a full" _**Smack!**_ " Explanation" _**Smack!**_ " Of why you did this" _ **Smack!**_ " Harold Edward " _ **Smack! Smack!**_ " STYLES!" _**Smack! Smack! Smack!**_

Harry still did not respond, and Zayn spanked him in silence for nearly two minutes.

Harry was having a harder and harder time remaining silent, and a few tears had traced their way down his face by now.

Zayn was flicking his hand as he spanked all over Harry's now-red bum and thighs.

He did it random, so Harry would never know where they landed, but when nearly three minutes were up, Zayn shifted his knees so he could better reach Harry's sit spots.

That's when Harry started begging.

 _ **Smack!**_ " O-OOWW!" _**Smack! Smack! Smack!**_ " So now you'll talk?" _**Smack! Smack!**_

" S-STOP!" _**Smack! Smack! Smack!**_

" PLLLEEEAAASE ZAAAYYYNNN!

Zayn remained silent and kept spanking, ignoring Harry's increasing pleas and cries.

" Will you now tell me why you did it?" Zayn asked calmly as Harry began to sob uncontrollably.

Harry blubbered out something, and Zayn smacked extra hard on his sit spots, producing a scream from the punished boy over his lap.

" I did not understand you. " Zayn said calmly, continuing spanking him.

Harry bawled and bawled, not even trying to speak again, but when six minutes hit, Zayn spread Harry's legs and started on the inside of his thighs as well.

Harry let out another scream, and hollered, " A-ALL R-IIG—GHHTT! I-I-I-LL TT-ELL Y-Y-YOU! J-JUSSTT S-S-STTOOOPPPP!"

" Not a chance, buddy." Zayn said softly.

Harry then started in kicking and thrashing, screaming out apologies, reaching back multiple times, earning himself slapped hands and another minute of spanks.

Zayn spanked even harder now, until Harry went limp at eight minutes, and stayed that way, bawling his eyes out the next two minutes of his spanking.

The last minute Zayn told him that he would not stop until Harry had told him why, so the wailing boy cried out why he had done it.

It turns out he always hated his lines, but he knew if he said something mean like that, he would be spanked for it, so he bided his time until he was sure he could get away with it.

Zayn told him that that never works as he finished, and then, with a final work-over of his whole rear, stopped.

He hoisted the hysterically sobbing Harry into his lap for a minute, kissing his tear streaked face, stroking his damp sweaty curls, and rubbing his back, then sent him to the corner.

" No rubbing." Zayn warned him, but Harry tried it anyway, getting 15 more smacks to his bum before he pulled his hands away and bawled into the corner.

Zayn shook out his aching arms and watched sadly as Harry clawed at the wall, banging his forehead into the corner and shifting from foot to foot as he cried his eyes out, choking and hardly being able to breath.

Zayn winced as he watched, but he had to get the feeling back into his arms before he comforted him.

Spanking was hard work sometimes, and Zayn's hand and arms were sore.

After a minute, Zayn called Harry over to him and caught him in his arms as the sobbing boy fell into them.

Zayn whispered comforting things to him and hummed as he rocked him and rubbed his back, mentally calculating how long he had to calm him down.

He had asked for 20 minutes, and it had taken him 3 just to get in the room and Harry over his lap, 11 to spank, and 1 to get his arms in working order again.

That was 15 already gone, leaving only five minutes to calm the hyperventilating Harry down.

When four had gone, Zayn stood a still crying and shaky Harry up and pulled his boxer and jeans back on, making him hiss and start crying harder then he already was.

" Shhh, shhh." Zayn tried to shush him, but it was not working that well.

Sighing, Zayn opened the door while still supporting most of Harry's weight, and yelled down the hall: " Louis! Liam! Get in here!"

He then shut the door and in a moment, the two came rushing in.

Louis took one look at Harry and scooped him out of Zayn's arms, covering his flushed face with little kisses and cooing to him.

Liam spoke to Zayn, to be sure he did not punish him too hard, and, content that he did not, strode over and took Harry next, assuring the poor boy of their forgiveness.

Harry was still a bit shaky when they left a few minutes later, but had stopped crying, and Louis had wiped his face so he looked presentable.

Liam carried Harry to where a fidgeting Niall sat waiting on them.

His face registered alarm when he saw Harry, and rushed over and hugged him.

Then they got on with the recording, 30 minutes late.


	5. Chapter 5

The Way It Is

It was the evening after a concert, and all five boys were relaxing in their living room.

Zayn had his head in Liam's lap, one hand had fingers entwined with Liam's fingers, and his other hand was stroking Liam's face.

Liam had his head laid back on the couch, and was nearly asleep, his mouth open and eyes closed.

Zayn lazily flicked his own half-opened eyes in the direction of the other three boys, who were cuddled on the other couch.

Harry was sitting between Louis and Niall, who was cuddled into Harry and asleep already, and Louis was running his fingers through Harry's thick brown curls.

Harry's green eyes were half closed, and he seemed quite contented to stay there.

Louis had his arm around both younger boys, and Harry cradled Niall's head his right arm, his fingers slowly brushing the blond hair off the Irish lad's forehead.

His left arm laid in his lap, fingers tightly gripping Louis's fingers.

Zayn thought about how all the boys related to one another.

They were all best friends, but there was special ways they interacted with various other members.

Liam looked after them all, seeming to feel it was his responsibility to do so, even when he had to be punished he seemed to mourn his poor example more then the punishment he was getting.

He felt especially loving towards Zayn, saying that it was Zayn who cheered him even when he was sad, and that Zayn was his all; he could not live without him.

Zayn smiled as he thought of Liam and who he was.

Big hearted, scared of little but spoons and maybe heights, though everyone doubted it, unlike Zayn, who was terrified of heights, nicknamed Daddy Directioner, and who cared for them whenever they needed him too.

He was funny, serious, quiet, lively, and level headed all at once, covering for the others when embarrassing situations came up during interviews when necessary.

He was just a tad younger then Zayn, but he sure acted like the oldest, unlike Louis, who really _was_ the oldest…

Zayn's thoughts drifted towards Louis, the arguably funniest member of the band.

He may have been the oldest, but he acted like he was 3 years younger and even stated he had no wish to grow up.

Scared of birds, mostly pigeons, loved carrots, and loved a good laugh.

And Harry.

Zayn chuckled watching him stroking Harry's hair.

Louis loved to spend time with Harry and had even made up some cute nicknames for the younger boy and snuggled in bed with him to drink tea in the evenings.

He adored Harry like Zayn adored Niall, whom Louis teased and picked on unmercifully, but Zayn knew that he loved Niall too, who among the boys didn't?

Zayn looked at Niall, his gaze softening even more.

Speaking of his little Irish snowflake, that boy just about begged to be babied, in Zayn's opinion.

The blond hair, blue eyes, beautiful smile and joyous laugh, yes, in Zayn's eyes Niall was perfect.

Niall loved all the boys with his big and caring heart, and cared the most for their fans.

He was bubbly, full of life, fun, cuddly and affectionate, loved soccer best but also enjoyed other sports, loved food like it was life itself, insecure and the most fearful besides Zayn himself, being scared of birds like Louis, claustrophobic, scared of clowns, and amusement rides, which he never admitted in public so Liam had to cover for him once when he cried after one and then refused to answer why he was crying.

Zayn was terrified of them, but he admitted it.

Niall was the baby of the band, and liked it too.

Zayn could go on, but he checked himself, turning his thoughts to Harry.

Harry was, in fact, the youngest, but even he babied Niall and protected him from harm, real or imagined, though he could act like an adorable little kid when he wanted or needed too as well.

Harry was a brave boy, and very caring and tender hearted, only scared of snakes or of the band breaking up and loved his mum to death, shamelessly being a momma's boy.

He once saved a fan during a tour, and the other boys were proud to death of him.

He and Niall were like twins, and sometimes fought a bit, Harry normally starting it but quick to apologize after.

He was very cheeky and loving, and like to walk around naked at home.

Liam and he worked out the most, enjoying it greatly.

Zayn chuckled and closed his eyes, finally succumbing to his beloved sleep, glad the lights were all on, to dispel his fear of the darkness.

He just hoped he would have no nightmares of drowning, as he could not swim and hated water, or of his good looks, mostly in his hair, being ruined.

Liam and Harry may have the most nightmares, but when Zayn or Louis had them, they were awful, and the Muslim boy hated having them.

It messed up his sleep, and his looks.

When Paul walked in an hour later, he chuckled and walked back out, leaving the boys to sleep where they lay.


End file.
